Names
by shygirl1
Summary: AU. The day that the '09ers named themselves.


Disclaimer: The TV show Dark Angel, all of the characters that appeared on it (Max, Zack, Tinga, etc.), and everything else that has to do with the show belong to their respective owners, not to me. No money is being made off of this fic. I only own the original characters (Kenny/X5-987, etc.).

Notes: This is part of my AU fic series and it takes place more than five years before "Where Were You?".

"I hate snow," 157 complained as he and the rest of his unit entered their barracks at the end of the day.

452 rolled her eyes. "You're just saying that because you fell face first as you came off of the third obstacle."

"Because there was a pile of snow on that one wooden beam!" 157 said.

"Yeah, but you should have seen that pile of snow and avoided it," 452 said.

"Behave," 656 said. "When 599 and 798 get back here from the infirmary, 599 is going to be annoyed if he sees the two of you arguing again."

"Yes, ma'am," 452 and 157 said in unison.

"What's the big deal?" 701 wondered. "I argue with 120 all of the time. Even 599 argues any chance he gets with 493."

"You've got that backwards," 064 said. "493 argues with 599 any chance that he gets."

"I do not!" 493 protested.

"You do," 831 said. "You look for any opportunity to get into an argument with 599. One of these days he's going to turn the argument into a physical one and you're going to be beaten worse than 369 the last time that he had to spar against 599."

369 looked indignant. "599 did not beat me that badly, 831. I also happened to have had an off day. I'm normally much better than that."

"You had to be treated for a mild concussion and a sprained left knee in the infirmary that afternoon," 164 reminded him. "And the day after the doctors had said that you had healed, 987 beat you from one end of the gym to the other." She giggled. "That was actually pretty funny."

"Oh yeah, and that was the day that Colonel Lydecker was observing our martial arts class," 987 recalled. "That was so great. I was really having a good day that day. I beat you and I beat 552 and 452 that day."

452 shook her head. "You only beat me because you got a lucky move in. I'm better than you at hand-to-hand and I'm a few years behind in training than you. Every other time that we've sparred against each other I've beaten the pants off of you."

"I still don't get that phrase," 493 said. "I mean I do get it, but is it physically possible to strike a blow that will only take somebody's pants off?"

"I don't know," 656 said. "I guess it would be, but I think it's close to impossible to do that." They all suddenly looked up and towards the door and a few moments later, 599 and 798 walked inside the barracks. "How is your ankle, 798?"

"It's not that bad," 798 said. She sounded relieved. "The doctor said that I only twisted it. "I'll be re-examined tomorrow after breakfast and hopefully then I'll be cleared to return to active duty." She limped over to her bunk and sat down.

599 stretched his arms out and walked over to the others. "We should get ready for bed soon."

"We still have forty-five minutes before it's lights out," 552 said.

"It—" 599 began to say.

"—'s always good to be prepared," 452, 210, and 120 said in unison.

599 just shook his head. "You guys drive me crazy."

"Yeah, Commander Willis said that to 734 today in our tactics class," 417 said.

"I don't get it," 734 said. "I wasn't doing anything to bother him."

"You weren't," 417 assured her. "He was just annoyed that you had pointed out that he had made a mistake." He heard 210 giggle and turned to her and raised an eyebrow. "Just wait until you and 766 and 157 and 452 have tactics class with him next year. You're going to have to watch what you say around him."

537 nodded. "He's right. I said something in that class a few weeks ago and I could hear him say under his breath that he had some good names that he wanted to call me."

"Names like in Lydecker?" 452 asked. She made a face when she mentioned the colonel's name.

"No, I think that he meant names as in the kind of really bad slang that we heard the trainers for live ordinance use before," 537 said.

"Same thing," 493 remarked. He grinned when he heard the laughter of most of his siblings.

599 looked thoughtful. "Why don't we call each other by names? By real names?"

"Is that even allowed, 599?" 120 asked. "You know how Colonel Lydecker and the other staff feel about contraband or using slang when we're in lessons. I don't think that he'll be very happy with us if we start using names."

"Then we don't tell him," 599 said. "We'll only use these names between us. We won't tell Colonel Lydecker or any of the trainers or doctors or any of those people our names. We use our designations when we're training so they won't know. I know that we all have designations, us and the other X5s and the other transgenics, but even Colonel Lydecker has a name in addition to his rank. We should have names, too."

"Then we'll give ourselves and each other names," 452 agreed.

"Who should start?" 831 asked.

"599 is the oldest so he should go first," 164 said.

599 frowned. "I don't know what to name myself."

452 looked at him for several moments before she spoke up. "Zack."

"Huh?" 599 said.

"That's what your name should be," 452 said. "I read the name in one of my textbooks for my military history class. It was the shortened form of a name of a soldier who'd helped to win this huge battle. I think that it fits you."

"Yeah. I like it." Zack smiled a little. "Thank you, 452."

"You're welcome…Zack," 452 replied, grinning.

"You've got to be first in everything, don't you?" 205 teased. "She's got to be the best at the range, she's got to win on the obstacle course, she's got to push herself to the max—"

"Max," Zack said suddenly, cutting 205 off. "Your name should be Max."

"I agree. I really like that name," Max said. She smirked at 205. "I think 205 would agree that the name is appropriate."

"205 is also insane," 369 said with a wicked smile on his face.

"Slow down your speaking, 369," 656 said. "I thought you were over that."

"I am, mostly," 369 said. "I don't talk fast in front of the colonel anymore."

"I swear that it sounded like you were saying 'inzane' instead of 'insane'," 987 said.

"I wasn't," 369 said. "Your hearing is inaccurate."

"Is that 'inaccurate' or 'inakrit'?" 987 teased.

"In…Zane!" 205 said. "Zane. I think I'll name myself Zane."

"Good choice, Zane," Zack said. "Who's next?"

"I like Krit," 157 said. 369 rolled his eyes and 987 snickered and exchanged a high-five with 157.

"Nice one, Krit," 987 said.

"Thanks, 987," Krit said. "Hey! What do you think about the name Kenny? I don't know about it for me, but I think it fits you."

"I think it does," Kenny agreed.

"I want something unusual," 656 said.

"So completely make something up," 766 said. "It doesn't have to be a normal name."

"I will," 656 said. "I want it to be exotic, like that one nurse said that I am." She thought for a few moments before she smiled. "Tinga. My name is Tinga."

"I'll make something up, too," 210 said eagerly. "What should I name myself…no…I got it! Jondy."

"Jondy?" 064 said skeptically.

"Oh shut up, 064," Jondy said. "Why don't you just dash on over to your bunk and leave me alone if you're going to be such a pain?"

064's face lit up. "Dash! That's perfect! Thanks, Jondy."

"Um…you're welcome," Jondy said. "I think."

"I like that name, Dash," Zack said. "You picked a good one for yourself."

"Are you sure about that?" 493 said, not missing an opportunity to get on Zack's nerves.

Zack just shook his head. "How can you be such a nice guy sometimes and yet be a complete smart ass to me? I'll never be able to figure that one out."

"You're only eight," 493 said cheerfully. "Give yourself some time."

"Maybe we should name him ass," Max suggested.

"I'm not an ass, I'm normal," 493 said. "I should have a normal name."

"Then think of a normal name," 537 said.

"That's what I'm trying to do right now," 493 said. "I got it! I'll name myself Ben. It's nice and normal."

"I think I know what name to give to myself," 120 said. "Rena. Yesterday, I heard one of the visitors call this one woman that I think was this one official's assistant by that name. I think it's a really nice name."

They all named themselves. 369 chose the name Wayne, which nearly led to a fight with Zane after Zane insisted that Wayne had given himself that name to annoy him. 417 was then named Jack because Tinga had asked Zane if it would make him feel better if at least two other people had rhyming names. 734 chose the name Brin. 766 decided to name herself Eva. 831 had started to choose a name when they could hear a gale of wind blow outside their windows and then she decided to name herself Gale instead. 798 gave 164 the name Elle and then Elle gave 798 the name Jace. 701 chose the name Syl and then named 552 Reese. 537 was the only one that didn't have a name.

"Darn, why can't I think of one?" he said, annoyed.

"Relax, you can think of one and let us know what it is later," Zack assured him. "We only have a few minutes before we absolutely have to hit the showers and get ready for bed so either get ready and hit the showers or park your behind on your bunk and be quiet so the guards won't get angry."

"Park your behind on your bunk," 537 repeated under his breath. He perked up. "Parker! I'll go with Parker."

"That's a nice name," Max said.

"It is," Zack agreed. "Now we all have to get into the showers and we have to hurry or we won't be ready in time for lights out." He watched them all salute him and then run for the showers. He sighed. "We have names."

"It was your idea," Max said.

"I know," Zack said. "I don't regret it at all. I like having a name. I hate having a designation and only a designation."

"Me too," Max agreed. "Zack? Thank you again for my name."

"It was no problem, Max," he said.

"Come on before they hog all the hot water again," Max said.

"I'll be right there," Zack said. He paused for a moment and smiled before he followed her.

The end!


End file.
